1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to 3D scanning technology using lighting based on a smart phone and, more particularly, to 3D scanning technology capable of scanning a 3D object in 3D using a camera and a lighting apparatus that are installed in a smart phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently released 3D scanners are expensive devices, and are used only by experts. Existing 3D scanners require complicated software and special hardware such as contact-type, laser optical, or structured light hardware. However, with the development of 3D printing technology, technical requirements for simple scanning and printing are in demand, in addition to requirements in the reverse engineering field.
A mobile 3D scanner may use Time Of Flight (TOF) scanning, photometric scanning, or laser optical scanning. In TOF scanning, 3D data are acquired by measuring changes in an infrared pattern that is projected onto an object using a separate infrared camera and a small infrared pattern projector. However, this method has disadvantages in that the hardware is expensive and the precision of data is limited by the resolution of the camera. In photometric scanning, a pair of similar images is extracted from among two or more images obtained by capturing an object, and 3D data are acquired using a method based on triangulation. This method has an advantage in that the hardware is inexpensive, but the precision and scanning quality are inferior because complete information about the points that form the shape of the object is not acquired.
In contrast, in laser optical scanning, relatively cheap hardware is used and 3D data are obtained by analyzing the curve of a laser projected onto an object, thus being advantageous in that a high degree of precision may be realized. However, this method has a disadvantage in that the object must be repeatedly scanned, in comparison with TOF scanning or photometric scanning. Laser optical scanning may be categorized into a method in which a camera is fixed and an object is scanned while being rotated and a camera tracking method, which uses a camera that is capable of scanning while moving. In the case of the method in which a camera is fixed, there are disadvantages in that a repetitive setting process is required in order to rotate an object and inaccurate scanning may result from inconsistently orienting the camera and the laser. Conversely, the camera tracking method may overcome the weak point of the method in which a camera is fixed, but requires a camera tracking algorithm in order to realize a high degree of precision.